Humanitarian De-mining

Abstract

The Humanitarian Demining Research and Development (HD R&D) program element develops, demonstrates and evaluates prototype mine/UXO clearing technologies for U.S. forces and for indigenous, DoD-supported, host nation-conducted demining operations. The HD R&D Program focuses on development of technologies to improve the efficiency and safety of removing post-conflict landmines and UXO, which are a significant danger to U.S. forces performing peace and stability operations, as well as to civilians. The HD R&D Program adapts commercial-off-the-shelf equipment, integrates mature technologies, and leverages R&D activity within DoD, particularly in the Army's Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) Tactical Countermine mission area. Equipment capabilities are assessed by host nation demining partners (foreign military, non-governmental organizations and mine action centers) in actual demining conditions. Since 1995 the Program has fielded technology for 105 evaluations in 35 countries, including Iraq and Afghanistan. The program aims to improve existing technologies for: individual mine/UXO and minefield detection, wide area survey, mechanical mine/UXO and vegetation clearance, mine neutralization, individual soldier/deminer protection, marking and mapping of mines/minefields, and post-clearance quality assurance (QA). Areas of emphasis are identified and validated at a biennial Requirements Workshop held by the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations, Low Intensity Conflict and Interdependent Capabilities (OASD SO/LIC&IC). The Requirements Workshop involves representatives from DoS, U.S. combatant commands and mine-affected nations. Under OASD SO/LIC, the HD R&D Program works closely with the combatant commands (COCOMS) and the Humanitarian Demining Training Center (HDTC) to “support the Warfighter” by reducing insurgent access to explosives, providing engagement opportunities for DoD personnel, and speeding improvements to detection and clearance technologies used by U.S. forces in support of USG operations.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2012
• Source ID: 0603920D8Z_4_0400_PB_2012
• Service Agency Name: Office of Secretary Of Defense

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Counter IED
• Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Clearances
• Detection
• Explosives
• Low Intensity Conflict
• Mine Clearance
• Minefields
• Night Vision
• Prototypes
• Software Prototyping
• South America
• Sri Lanka
• Test And Evaluation
• Unexploded Ammunition
• Unified Combatant Commands
• Uxo Detection
• Vegetation
• Workshops

Readers

• Geochemistry
• Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.
• Sensor Fusion and Tracking Systems.

Technology Areas

• Microelectronics